1. Field of Disclosure
The following is directed to composite articles, and particularly, composite articles comprising infiltrated recrystallized silicon carbide bodies.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various composite materials are commercially available, including certain ceramic composite bodies incorporating silicon carbide. Silicon carbide-based ceramic materials have been utilized in many applications for their refractory properties and mechanical properties. Among the types of silicon carbide-based ceramics available, various types exist based on the particular forming process, including for example, sintered silicon carbide, hot pressed silicon carbide, and recrystallized silicon carbide. Each of the various types of silicon carbide bodies can have distinct features. For example, sintered silicon carbide (such as Hexoloy®) can be a very dense material, but is generally expensive and complex to produce. On the other hand, more cost effective but relatively porous silicon carbide materials such as nitride-bonded silicon carbide (known by acronyms such as NBSC and NSIC) have found practical use in refractory applications. Such refractory components include furnace or kiln furniture utilized in connection with holding or supporting work pieces during firing operations, as well as refractory lining materials and structural walls defining the furnace heating area.
Certain limited compositions of composite silicon carbide-based materials have been made. See, for example, “Processing of Al—SiCp Metal Matrix Composites by Pressureless Infiltration of SiCp Preforms,” Pech-Canul et al., Journal of Mat. Synthesis and Processing, Vol. 8, No. 1 (2000); “Melt Infiltration of Selected Intermetallics into SiC”, by Rawers et al., U.S. Dept. of the Int., Journal of Materials Science Letters 9, pages 503-505 (1990); “Chemist and Distribution of Phases Produced by Solid State SiC/NiCrAl Reaction”, Hall et al., Metallurgical Transactions A, Vol. 14A, 781-790, (1983); U.S. Pat. No. 6,562,745; U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,293; U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,673; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,513. However, these compositions are limited by particular types of silicon carbide bodies (e.g., powder compacts) and the particular type of materials incorporated into the silicon carbide matrix. Notably, in the context of infiltrating silicon carbide to form composite materials, available infiltrant materials are limited due to the difficulty in ensuring proper infiltration. For example, the most common infiltrant materials are metal silicon or intermetallics.
In view of the state of the art of silicon carbide-based materials, and in particular, nitride-bonded silicon carbide components, there is a need in the art for improved composites.